UConn baseball's season ends with loss to Va. Tech

Staff and wire reports

Updated 12:32 am, Monday, June 3, 2013

BLACKSBURG, Va. -- The magical postseason ride for the UConn baseball team is over.

Sean Keselica had two hits and an RBI, and Virginia Tech held on in the ninth inning to edge the Huskies 3-1 in an elimination game in the Blacksburg regional Sunday.

The Hokies (40-21) advanced to the regional championship game against Oklahoma, while the Huskies head home after an improbable run that began with a four-game sweep in the Big East Tournament after entering as the eighth seed.

"I am very proud of our effort and toughness," UConn coach Jim Penders said afterward, according to the school's website.

"Our kids were loose. I felt like they were ready to go, but to lose in extra innings (to Oklahoma), it's going to take a lot out of you physically and mentally. I don't think either one of us swung the bats extremely well today."

Virginia Tech got a game-ending double play to seal it after the Huskies (35-28) had two runners on.

The Hokies scored in the second when Tyler Horan drew a leadoff walk and scored on Chad Morgan's fielder's choice groundout. The Hokies made it 2-0 in the fourth on Andrew Rash's RBI double. UConn got an unearned run in the fifth to cut the lead to 2-1, but Keselica's RBI fielder's choice in the ninth gave the Hokies a 3-1 lead.

"I think that this year is the highest of all my memories," said UConn senior LJ Mazzilli, from Greenwich. "It didn't start off the way we wanted it to, and even in the middle or towards the end, but we found a way. Winning that Big East championship is something that will stick with all of us.

"We knew we were going to get tested today with that rain delay, but I don't think that affected us at all," he added. "We left it all out there, and it is tough because we will admit we aren't the most talented team in this tournament, but we have to come with a certain edge every game and use that to our advantage."

Brad Markey (5-4) gave up one run and five hits in 5 1-3 innings for the win, while Anthony Marzi (5-7) took the loss.